


Rats

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Gen, post destruction of megaton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 17:21:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12258738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: Rose May surveys the wasteland from Tenpenny Tower, when Mister Burke joins her.





	Rats

**Author's Note:**

> babedur on tumblr requested "pats on the back" for a touch prompt meme with my Lone Wanderer.

After taking stock of her room at Tenpenny Tower- and after she hears the sounds of Allistair Tenpenny going to bed- she retires back out to the balcony.  From here, she can see the whole Capital Wasteland, including the ruin where Megaton used to be.  She had told them that building a town around a bomb was a mistake, the very first time that she had wandered into that dump.  

“It looks beautiful, even though the initial explosion has faded,” Mister Burke says, coming up behind her.  

Rose May just makes a vague noise.  She doesn’t see beauty in the explosion, nor in the wreckage.  All she sees is the pain and the terror; that was the point, whether Mister Burke or Tenpenny want to admit it or not.  The wasteland deserves to hurt.

“I look forward to a long and productive friendship, Rose May,” Mister Burke says.

Mister Burke rests a hand on Rose May’s shoulder, and Rose May stiffens imperceptibly.  The last time someone laid a hand on her- in friendship- had to be Dad at the Jefferson Memorial.  She barely remembers, having been on the brink of exhaustion and trying to hide it.  And she hadn’t realized at the time that there would be so little time left with her father.  

“Don't mistake things,” Rose May says harshly to shake off the regret.  “We're not friends.”

“Then what are we?” Mister Burke asks with a leer in his voice, not moving his hand.  

Moving quickly, Rose May reaches back and grabs his wrist.  She pulls forward as she gets to her feet, waiting until his chest hits the railing before pulling his arm back and shoving it against his spine.  

“We’re just rats, Mister Burke.  I'm just a rat who can get shit done,” Rose May says.  And being able to get shit done is all that matters.  “You’re a rat that scurries around finding rats like me for a rat that can pay.”

“I'm warning you…” Mister Burke says.  

Rose May snatches his gun from his holster, tossing it carelessly over the railing.  It falls for longer than she expects before clattering against the ground.

“You're a wasteland rat.  I'm a vault rat.  That doesn't matter. All that matters is that I'm a stronger rat,” Rose May says, squeezing hard enough to bruise.  “Do you want to get your gun now, or take the stairs?”

Mister Burke  continues to curse at her, but Rose May lets him go anyway.  It's a gesture she knows he will mistake for softness, but that's not her motivation.   He is a miserable, cruel man who will make other people miserable.  Killing him would be too kind towards the wasteland.  

“Scurry away, rat,” Rose May says before taking her seat again.  

Mister Burke walks away, grumbling to himself, and Rose May leans forward.  Sure enough, not too long later, she sees Mister Burke skittering below her, like vermin.  

When he looks up at her, she just waves. 


End file.
